43. THE REASON!

Shehnaaz:- ( Sternly ) BHAI IS NOT USELESS. You are useless just like your ( Pointing at the other ladies ) kitty ladies. 

The blood rushed down Chachi’s cheeks, making her embarrassed in front of her friends whereas Shehnaaz was nowhere to move back because of fear. Since childhood, she was a strong-headed girl always supported by her dear brother. Her parents always taught her to never bend her head in front of anyone who is wrong. And here, her Chachi is wrong because she dared to insult Shehnaaz’S BROTHER WHICH IS ONLY HER RIGHT. She can insult or tease her brother anytime, anywhere but she didn’t give the right to anyone to do the same.

Chachi looks around at the ladies who were hiding their smiles seeing her insult which angered her more. She tries to control the situation by demeaning Shehnaaz which will backfire on her in the ugliest way. 

Chachi:- Yaa… ( With a fake chuckle ) Your brother is not useless because HE IS A BEGGAR who is living on my husband’s hard-earned money. 

Hearing her, Shehnaaz is not looking less than a volcano, ready to explode. In a swift movement, she climbed onto the center table, making her confused, and landed a tight, strong punch on her left jaw showing her stars in the daylight. 

The kitty ladies gasped in shock and looked at Chachi who fell on the ground with the force while palming her jaw. Chachi’s eyes filled with tears, aggression, and embarrassment.  

Shehnaaz:- ( Angrily ) Don’t you dare to call my brother a beggar. I won’t take a second before punching you again for spoiling my Bhai’s image. 

The ladies look at her with shock as they didn’t expect this aggression from a little girl but they don’t know that Shehnaaz can be monstrous when it comes to her Bhai’s self-respect. Whereas Shehnaaz is still breathing in rage, making the ladies scared. She jumps on the ground from the table and removes her mother’s necklace from Chachi’s neck. 

Shehnaaz:- ( Furiously, showing the necklace ) This is my Mother’s necklace which my Dad gifted her on their wedding anniversary. Chacha steals it from our house after my parents’ death and ( While making a bad face ) and you are saying “My husband’s hard-earned money.” 

The ladies look at her with wide open mouths including Chachi too but a single glare from her and they run away like manic, making her giggle. In fury, Chachi got up and harshly grabbed Shehnaaz’s arms, making her wince, and yelled at her in a dominating tone. 

Chachi:- You insult me in front of my friends and now see what I will do with you and your brother. 

But being a rebellious girl, Shehnaaz restored in the same tone not caring about the pain she is giving her. 

Shehnaaz:- I didn’t do anything wrong. You deserved the punch because you insulted my Bhai. ( Proudly ) And my Bhai always says to punch the person who will bully me or anyone. 

Chachi grabbed her cheeks while gritting her teeth in anger but the little girl didn’t make a sound showing her fearless self. 

Chachi:- You didn’t do anything wrong, right? Now, I will show you the consequences of messing with me. ( With pure hate ) You love your brother a lot, right? Now, see what I will do with your brother. 

X—X—X—

Vihan has not been feeling well since yesterday, so he is sleeping while wrapping a blanket around himself. He can feel his tired muscles because of the work he does in this house as a servant. His body temperature is also higher than the normal one but he has no medicine to cure it. He also didn’t have enough strength to ask for medicine from Chachi because with the medicine she will give some harsh comments which he has no heart to hear. 

Chachi barged inside his room while dragging Shehnaaz, spoiling Vihan’s sleep. 

Chachi:- You are sleeping here soundly and there your sister made a fuss.

Saying this she pushed Shehnaaz onto the floor giving her a bruise on her elbow. Whereas seeing his sister on the floor, Vihan rushed to save her and yelled at Chachi. 

Vihan:- Shehnaaz!…. ( Shouts at Chachi ) Are you mad or what? Why did you push her? 

But before Chachi could say anything, Shehnaaz felt his body warmer than usual and palms his forehead, worriedly. 

Shehnaaz:- Bhai, you have a fever. You are not well. Why didn’t you tell me? ( To Chachi ) Chachi, please look at Bhai, he is not well please call the doctor. 

The crook Chachi smiles devilishly and makes an innocent face. 

Chachi:- Aww… your brother has a fever. Tch… Tch… Tch… You know, don’t get wet in the rain when you have a fever because it will worsen your health. ( Looking outside the window ) And look, it’s raining heavily outside. 

Shehnaaz didn’t understand anything but her brother was very well aware of Chachi’s words. He knows what is coming on their way tonight. Before Shehnaaz could ask anything, her Chachi drags both of them and pushes them out of the house while shutting the door on their faces leaving the brother-sister getting wet in the rain. 

X—X—X—

Both of them are getting wet in the heavy rain and Vihan’s condition as predicted by Chachi is worsening. His body’s temperature increased as well as he started shivering feeling extremely cold.

Seeing his condition, Shehnaaz is not able to hold her tears. She bangs on the door calling her Chachi for help. 

Shehnaaz:- Chachi… open the door, please. Bhai is not well. He is shivering in the cold. ( Crying hard ) I promise I won’t do that ever again. I won’t even raise my voice in front of you but please open the door. 

Vihan:- ( Worn out because of his health ) Don’t cry, Princess. I can’t see you in tears. 

Shehnaaz:- ( Wiping her tears with a beautiful smile ) I am not crying, Bhai. It is rainwater. 

Vihan smiles, giving her a smirk. 

Vihan:- You got two horns on your head because you lied. 

Shehnaaz cries dramatically and covers her head, innocently, as if hiding her two freshly grown horns. 

X—X—X—

Shehnaaz sits beside her brother who is giving her a weak smile to bring a smile to her face. 

Shehnaaz:- ( Holding her ears, cutely ) I am sorry, Bhai. I am extremely sorry. I promise I will not do that again. 

Vihan:- ( Removing her hands from the ears ) Why are you apologizing, Princess? What is the matter?

Shehnaaz told him the whole story from the start while making the innocent face to melt his anger as a precaution. But to her shock, her brother is calm. 

Vihan:- Why did you punch her?

Shehnaaz:- Because she used bad words for you and indirectly bullied you behind your back.  And you taught me to punch anyone who will bully me. So, I taught her a good lesson. 

Vihan:- She bullied me, not you, Princess. 

Shehnaaz:- ( Cutely ) What is the difference between me and you, Bhai? If she bullied you then she bullied me as well because we are inseparable. Don’t you remember Mumma always says that Vihan and Shehnaaz are two souls in one body? 

Vihan shakes his head at her antics and looks down feeling low on energy. 

Shehnaaz:- ( To enlighten the situation ) God!… My Bhai is suffering from partial memory loss. Please, help me before he forgets about his cute, little sister. 

Vihan:- Is there any person alive on this earth who forgot about you after meeting you once? 

Shehnaaz:- ( Thinking about it deeply ) In my list there is no one but what about your list?

Vihan gives her a bad look and closes his eyes while soaking wet in the rain. 

X—X—X—

It’s been 40 minutes, and Vihan and Shehnaaz are still getting wet in the rain. Chachi didn’t open the door for them even after Shehnaaz banged it numerous times. Whereas Vihan’s condition is not good as well as hers’. She is also getting anxious seeing her brother in this situation. He is sitting, taking the support of the wall, and feeling drowsy. 

Shehnaaz:- ( Still banging on the door ) Chachi, why are you giving punishment to Bhai? I am the one who misbehaved with you then why are you punishing him with me? 

Again there was no response which makes her feel more guilty and unknowingly she turns around to face her Bhai and gets shocked to see him lying on the floor while curling himself into a ball. She pats his cheek and finds him non-responsive which made her cry like there is no tomorrow. 

Shehnaaz:- ( Crying hard ) Bhai, get up… see your princess is calling you… Bhai… Won’t you listen to your Princess?… ( Showing her bruised elbow ) See, Bhai, I got hurt and blood is coming from here… Won’t you treat it and scold me for my clumsiness?… ( Blew air on her elbow while wincing in fake pain ) See, It’s hurting your Princess. 

Her every attempt went down the drain because her brother didn’t even move his finger, giving her a heart attack. Her brother never did that to her before and now he is not listening to her and not even scolding her for hurting her elbow. 

For the first time, she got an anxiety attack seeing her brother in this condition but anyhow she calms herself for her brother and kneeled in front of Chachi who arrived there hearing chaos. 

Shehnaaz:- ( Joining both hands to beg in front of her ) Please Chachi, call the doctor… My Bhai is not responding to me. I promise you that I won’t repeat that mistake and will do everything you asked me to do. 

Chachi smiles in victory, loving the way she begged in front of her for her brother’s life. For the first time, Shehnaaz is feeling useless because she is not able to save her brother who loves her a lot. Somewhere in her mind, she finds herself guilty of his condition. 

To be continued…